Large arenas like TD Garden are not the best places to see acoustic music. Sometimes, though, this type of band gets too popular for smaller venues, and that’s the case with the Avett Brothers and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Avett Brothers and Old Crow Medicine Show

I saw both bands perform at the 2013 Newport Folk Festival and was extremely impressed with Old Crow so I was especially glad to be seeing them again.Old Crow opened the show (I know, I usually start a review with the headliner, but since I was there mostly to see Old Crow, I’m starting with them) with a bang!

OCMS

One of the things that particularly impressed me last summer was that each one of the band members is a multi-instrumentalist. They switch instruments throughout their set like I change clothes!

OCMS

They played only a 45 minute set, but they packed a lot of music into it. They played ‘Wagon Wheel’ which most of their fans have come to expect at one of Old Crow’s shows.

Chance McCoy and Ketch Secor

Kevin Hayes on guitjo and vocals; Cory Younts on mandolin, keyboards, drums and vocals; Critter Fuqua on slide guitar, banjo, guitar and vocals; Chance McCoy on guitar, fiddle, banjo, and vocals; Ketch Secor on fiddle, harmonica, banjo and vocals; Gill Landry on slide guitar, banjo and vocals; and Morgan Jahnig on upright bass comprise the band.

OCMS

I only wish they’d played longer, and I’m on the lookout for a headlining show from them.

After a short break, The Avett Brothers took the stage.

The Avett Brothers

Their set included songs that spanned their discography, from ‘I and Love and You’ to ‘Salina’ to ‘Paul Newman vs. The Demons’ to ‘Another is Waiting’ from their most recent release.

Bob Crawford, Seth Avett and Scott Avett

I had been impressed by Joe Kwon’s antics with the cello when I saw The Avetts last summer; he stands when he plays, hardly ever letting it touch the ground, and dances around the stage with it while playing. We were toold he was sick that night, but he still put his heart into every note.

Joe Kwon

Joe and Bob

The show ended with both bands performing ‘Will the Circle Be Unbroken’ and a cover of ‘Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight.’ The bands mesh together well clearly respect each other’s musicianship.

OCMS and The Avetts

I sat next to a couple who came from Edmonton, Alberta (if you are reading this, please send me a message) to see The Avetts but had never heard Old Crow. After their set, she turned to me and said they are her new favorite band.

I know that feeling well.